Paternal Figures
by YinYangProphecy
Summary: Mae was taken in by Garrow when he married her mother. Now her siblings, her 'cousins', and herself are struggling between who they want as fathers, and who they want to disappear.
1. Beginning

_Two women rode on horses, stomachs pushing on the kids riding with them. One turned around, staring at the citadel they were running from, "Are you sure that they aren't going to follow us, Havanna?"_

 _The other woman turned around, her blonde hair slapping her face, "Keep riding! Once we get close to the Spine, we'll be safer!"_

 _"But what if Morzan isn't distracted long enough?"_

 _"I'm pretty sure that a single man can't stop two spellcasting mothers trying to protect their children."_

 _The small boy riding with the noblewoman clutched her tighter, "Mommy, my back hurt."_

 _A gentle kindness crossed her face, "I know Murtaugh. Once we stop for the night I'll make it feel better. But for right now we need to get far away from Father, alright?"_

 _He nodded, and his mother faced her longtime ally, "What are we going to tell people about you? Garrow will shelter my son and I, but what about you?"_

 _Havanna turned, "Merely that I am your friend, and my husband threatened to kill my children. Both are true."_

 _Selena the Black Hand smiled at Queen Havanna, "Your skill with words has finally crossed into the human tongue."_

* * *

 _Havanna glanced out the window at Carvahall, "It's so quiet. And so close to the Spine."_

 _Garrow joined her, "What are your children's names?"_

 _She turned around, pointing at a boy who was unfortunately like his sire physically, "That is Hugin, his twin will be brought by a friend."_

 _Pointing at the small girl asleep on Selena's bed, "That's Arget. Her sister was too attached to their father."_

 _Then she glanced at her stomach, which was not showing quiet yet, "And I don't know about this one."_

 _Murtaugh stirred, "Anty An?"_

 _Havanna swept to his side, "Don't move. The nice healer said you just need to sleep to get better."_

 _She rocked him back to sleep, and Garrow sighed, "Will Selena be staying?"_

 _"I will try to convince her, but she is too scared of her husband. It took me this long to leave."_

 _Garrow sat down, "Are you really helping the Varden?"_

 _Nodding, she handed him a bag, "Look inside."_

 _"Are these?"_

 _A mischievous grin covered her face, "Dragon eggs."_

* * *

 _Havanna, now Miriam, came back carrying a small girl, "This is Hugo's sister, Manin. What should we call her?"_

 _Garrow smiled at the shy little child, easily the most lacking in size of all of the kids, "How about Mae?"_

 _'Miriam' nodded, "Argey, Hugo, and Mae. Those sound better than Arget, Hugin, and Manin."_

 _Someone tugged on her pants, "Is that my cousin?"_

 _"Yes it is. Mae, meet Murtaugh. But call him Tagh for short."_

 _A man stepped into the room, "Is there any chance...?"_

 _'Miriam' turned around, "Come on in, Brom. Garrow, this is Selena's 'special friend' that I told you about."_

 _The older man bowed to Garrow, "I was just wondering if I could see him."_

 _'Miriam' led him to the nursery, where Roran and Eragon were sharing a crib, "He's the one with normal ears."_

 _The man looked at his only child, "And Tagh?"_

 _"Selena's as well. By all rights, she left him in your care. Something about his father being useless with kids."_

 _Brom sighed, "Maybe later. But right now I have to earn the trust of the villagers, and I can't do that if they think I caused Selena to run here pregnant."_

* * *

 **A/N: Just to clear things up, I'm writing a different version of one of my previous stories, so many things will seem the same.**

 **Havanna changes her name to Miriam, and marries Garrow, raising her kids with him.**

 **Manin, Arget, and Hugin are all present, along with their friends.**

 **Roran is their brother (not born yet in this version).**

 **Morzan loses an arm and his dragon.**

 **But there are so many changes inspired by my best friend (the inspiration for Arget), and some other stories here on FF.**

 **Murtaugh is brought by Selena (very common idea, and I love how it would work out).**

 **Less siblings (some stories keep adding character after character, and I lose track of everyone).**

 **Brom's Saphira survived (I saw this in a story, but they never update, so I hope they don't mind I copied that).**

 **And other such stuff (plus I didn't like my writing style in the first, but if I edit it, I will accidentally change the story line).**


	2. Mae

I scrubbed the floor as Garrow quietly chopped up some vegetables for a meal tomorrow. Every so often he would glance at the door with concern before resuming his duties.

"Worried about the boys?"

Putting down the knife, he sighed, "With their unpredictable luck, it really concerns me when they are late."

I pushed the bucket into the corner, "They have the luck of the devil, that's for sure. But don't worry, they probably bumped into Brom again."

Garrow snorted, "Some days I can't figure out if he wants to tell them or not."

Just then we heard voices approaching the door, making Garrow crack it open, "What took you so long?"

He let the boys in before pushing the bolt back into place.

Murtaugh dropped a large deer on the floor that I just cleaned while Eragon showed Garrow something they found in the mountains, "And they just appeared out of nowhere. Scared away the fawn I was hunting too."

His brother grunted as he sat down, "And Eragon just had to try to trade it for some meat."

Eragon flushed, "Sloan almost took it, then I accidentally mentioned the Spine. Horst had to come in and break up the fight."

"Didn't Sloan's wife die in the Spine?"

Garrow nodded, "And since then, he's refused to have anything to do with it. He also won't let Katrina be involved with anything from it."

Murtaugh knelt next to the deer, "I hope we didn't hurt Roran's chances with Katrina."

I pushed Murtaugh away, "I'll take care of this. You two get to bed."

"But…"

"Night!"

Both of them scrambled away from my 'mother' look, and Garrow picked up one of Eragon's strange things, "Seen one before?"

Looking closer, I froze, "Skulblaka."

He nodded, dropping his voice so low I could barely hear him, "How'd he find three? Selena said only the mad king had any besides your mother."

Making eye contact with him, I responded in turn, "Brom gave three to the Varden. Three that were stolen from the mad king. Only two remain in his hands."

"Then something must have happened. Tomorrow, go into town and talk to Brom."

* * *

Sleep didn't come to me that night, and I gave up as the very first rays of dawn started to emerge.

I poked my head into the room crammed with boys and hissed, "Hugo, wake up."

He rolled out of the bed he shared with Murtaugh and joined me as I started to make breakfast, "We are going into town today. I need to talk to Brom, and you are going to try and get on Sloan's good side."

He grunted as he quickly ate, "Why?"

Gritting my teeth, I muttered, "I'll explain on our way there."

Slipping back into our respective rooms, we dressed in a hurry.

Argey sat up, "Mae? What are you doing up so early?"

"Garrow asked me to go into town today. I'll be back later, and don't touch Eragon's new playthings. Garrow will explain if I don't."

She climbed out and got dressed, with me fixing a few things, "Okay, you are presentable now."

I found all of the guys at the table, fighting over food, "Make sure Argey gets some."

Eragon scrambled to her side, "We saved a seat between Roran and I for you."

Hugo joined me as we walked out the door, "Be back as soon as we can!"

Soon as we were off the farm, he turned to me, "Okay, why do I need to kiss up to Sloan?"

"Eragon found the Varden's eggs in the Spine somehow, and showed one to Sloan. If the Ra'zac come looking for them, he'll spill. I need him to forget about the eggs. Got it?"

His face showed a mixture of understanding and confusion, "Do I want to know the whole story?"

"Ask Murtaugh. Don't ask me."

* * *

As we arrived in the village, we split up, and I pounded on Brom's door.

He opened it slowly, "Ah, Mae. From the pounding I thought it was an idiot."

"Who says I'm not an idiot?"

His laugh reminded me of travelling with him when I was a child, "Ah, I've missed your strange responses. Come on in."

I gently moved scrolls out of my way, "You really need to clean up old timer."

Another laugh came from the kitchen, "He certainly does. How are you, Mae?"

I smiled as Fiera came out, "I'm doing well. But I don't have wonderful news."

They both froze, and Brom ventured to ask, "Well?"

"Eragon and Murtaugh were hunting in the Spine when three eggs appeared 'like magic'. They are the same colors as the one we rescued from Gil'ead."

Fiera looked shocked, "But how? Arya Drottningu was in charge of them."

I shook my head, "I'm not sure, and Garrow doesn't know what to do. The problem is that Eragon tried to trade one for some meat from Sloan."

Brom sighed, "Sometimes I wonder how he could be my son."

Fiera cut open an old wound with one sentence, "You used to trust Morzan."

He cringed, "True. Are you doing anything about Sloan?"

"Hugo is, but there's no guarantee how that will go."

Fiera sat down, "Shouldn't the eggs have been sent to Brom?"

"How many times has she actually talked with him?"

Brom sighed, "Not many. I don't even really remember what she looks like."

"Eragon and Brom are similar enough that they could be confused for each other. The spell sent the eggs to someone like Brom, and we're lucky enough that it happened in the Spine and not Carvahall."

* * *

 **A/N: Welcome to the true first chapter! If you want me to post an alternative beginning, follow or review!**


	3. Festival

Hugo met up with me at the entrance to the village, "I've made progress, but he will never like our cousins. If the Ra'zac do come, we are all in danger."

"At least none of us go by our full names around them except the two that weren't born until we got here."

He nodded, "It's times like these that I wish we weren't just going to hide for the rest of our lives. But what did Brom and Fiera have to say about all of this?"

"They aren't happy about it, but at least they know where the eggs are."

We fell silent for a time, until we were far away from Carvahall.

Hugo turned to me, "What is Garrow going to do? Keeping the eggs puts us all in danger, but the Varden need them."

I stared at the sky, "I wish I knew. It's really up to him."

"Mae? Do you ever wish that you could forget our birth father?"

The pain in his voice was new to me, "I wish I could forget, but the memories are what make me who I am."

Silence returned for the rest of the trip home.

* * *

The days passed as I tended the animals, while the boys helped Garrow with the harvest. After a couple weeks, a massive blizzard hit, making us stay in the house unless it was to feed the animals.

One day Eragon came inside while we were getting our things together to head into town, "There's wagon marks on the road!"

Murtaugh dusted the snow off his brother, "Good. Garrow, are we going to sell the stones?"

He shook his head, "If it's made by magic, then we really shouldn't let people know about it. By the way, Roran, Hugo said that Sloan was willing to discuss a possible job for you. Talk to him once we get to town."

Roran nodded, "Thanks Hugo."

My twin's face turned red, "Well, I had to distract him from Murtaugh and Eragon somehow. I just mentioned that you wanted to earn money, and that you had helped me carve up whatever was hunted."

I walked past them with a bundle of cloth that I had embroidered in my spare time, "Less talk, more work."

* * *

Argey and I climbed out of bed at an unearthly hour of the morning, and I bundled the two of us up, "There, you should be fine. Who do you want to travel with today?"

She shrugged, "I guess that I'll go with Hugo. No one bothers him."

I led her outside to the wagon, then helped Garrow hitch up Ralyn and Storm to it. As I pulled the cords tighter around Ralyn, she swatted my face with her tail.

Garrow chuckled, "Seems like she wants to be ridden, not attached to dead weight."

Double checking the cords, I grunted, "Too bad. Only her and Storm can pull the wagon without issues."

Argey smiled, "Did she hit you again?"

"Yeah. If she keeps it up, I might cut all of the hair off of her tail."

Her tail mysteriously stopped swinging, and we had no further problems getting everything ready.

* * *

We headed out at the crack of dawn, and I ended up leading Star down the road while Garrow and Hugo handled the wagon.

The festival was held in a clearing just outside of the town, mostly because it was the only place that could fit that many wagons.

Eragon walked up to me, "Is it just me, or does something seem wrong?"

I examined the gathering, "Only forty wagons, all of which are worn out. And even from here, I can see that everyone has a weapon near them. Must have been a bad year."

Murtaugh joined us, "Mae, do you want us to escort you on your errands?"

Glancing at all of the men nearby, I nodded, "I'm not in the mood to talk with men today."

I tied up Star outside the camp, near all of the other horses and wagons, then unloaded my embroidery. Murtaugh and Eragon carried the bulk of my items, and I set out to find Mariene, who always bought my wares.

Her wagon was so worn out that I could barely recognize it, but she smiled upon seeing me, "Ah, the amazing seamstress! You should really open a shop up here for your village!"

I blushed, and held out my best work for the year, "I'm afraid that Garrow needs me too much. But thank you for the compliment."

We went inside her tent, and she looked at my pieces one by one, "Just like every year. Your work is getting popular down in the nice cities. I even have some extra money to give you."

The amount of money that ended up in my hand was stunning, "This is what my work is worth?"

Murtaugh glanced over my shoulder, "That more than our wheat is worth!"

Mariene smiled, "Women will pay anything to look nice. Have you seen how much a piece of jewelry costs?"

I reached up to my necklace, "Sometimes they are worth too much."

We left the tent, and I gave some money to each of them, "Let's get some food."

After wandering around for hours we ended up with a lot of sticky food. My personal favorite was warm syrup on a stick, Eragon loved miniature pies, and Murtaugh loved candied cherries.

We were headed for Horst's house when Roran ran up, "I got the job! I start in a week, so I have to figure out if I can still live at home."

Murtaugh pushed him, "Or you could be really forward and ask to stay in Sloan's house."

Eragon piped up as well, "I don't think he has enough room for a guest. Maybe you could ask Horst?"

"Ask Horst what?"

We all turned to see Garrow gaining on us, Hugo on his tail looking upset. Eragon explained, "Roran got the job, but doesn't know if he can live at home and work for Sloan at the same time."

Garrow nodded, "Asking Horst would be a good idea. Mae, how did your selling go?"

Murtaugh grabbed my shoulders, "She got twice the normal because her stuff is wanted in the bottom cities."

He relaxed, "Good, the grain merchants cheated all of us out, only paying two thirds the normal price."

* * *

 **A/N: Please review if you enjoy this.**


	4. Hatch

Horst had no problem with Roran staying with him while he worked at the butcher shop, with the condition that when his son goes for training Roran would help on his days off.

After a wonderful meal at his house, we wandered to the town amphitheater and sat in our customary spot on the back row. As we got settled, I watched the other villagers sit in their usual places. Horst's family sat on the side so they wouldn't block other's views, Qwimby's family sat next to Morn's in the middle. Sloan and Katrina sat on the very front row, as did Fisk's family. And the storytellers gathered on the other side of the fire, discussing who would go when.

With the traders, there was only one 'new' story, one where people told the story of the Varden (which was completely wrong). Other than that, I could recite the stories word for word. Finally, Brom stepped forward, just as the fire was dimming into embers. He cleared his throat,

"Long before humans stepped foot on the land we know call Alagaesia, there was a war between the elves and the dragons. The war was long and brutal, with both races getting on the brink of extinction.

"But everything changed when a young elf bumped across a white dragon egg in the forest. To this day no one knows why it was there. The young elf used the little magic he had to bond his soul to the dragon, and together they stopped the war. He became the first Rider, and he worked with his dragon to bring peace to the world.

"Years later, humans were added on after a civil war nearly killed them off. Thus, the Riders could go anywhere, and help anyone. But when you are the protectors and the watchers, who is there to save you?

"It started with an overconfident young Rider who went with two of his friends up to the Northern Wasteland to kill Urgals. His friends and he thought that, since they were considered full Riders, they were invincible. They were horribly outnumbered, and his friends died quickly, as well as their dragons.

"When Galbatorix realized that he was the only one left, he tried to make it back to his dragon, which was killed in front of him. Driven mad by the grief, he killed all of the Urgals that remained, and almost gave up. If only he had.

"Somewhere in his deluded mind, he came to the conclusion that the Riders would give him another dragon, and that they owed him one.

"Months later, he stumbled out of the Spine and collapsed on a farm near Narda. When he was found, the farmer called the Riders and they took him back to Vroengard, where they were unaware of the poor state of his mind.

"When he finally recovered, he met before the council, and immediately demanded a new dragon. They of course denied him, and put him back in the medical quarters.

"The next anyone heard about him was that he killed a sympathetic young Rider who had helped him steal dragon eggs. When he was found with the blood on his hands, he was fled Vroengard.

"Over the next few years, he quietly gathered thirteen followers and killed a young Rider in order to have his newly hatched dragon. They became known to the world as the Forsworn, and they quickly started taking down the Riders and the human government.

"The last Rider to fall was Vrael, the leader of the Riders. He fought Galbatorix on Vroengard, and when a massive spell blast nearly killed everyone, both fled. Vrael hid on Utgard fortress, but was found there before he recovered from the last battle. Vrael couldn't even fight back when his head was sliced off.

"From that day, our king has been Galbatorix."

As Brom left the amphitheater, I saw a single tear on both his cheek and Fiera's.

* * *

Argey punched my arm in the middle of the night, "What is that sound?"

Cracking my eyes open, I climbed out of bed, "I'll find out."

"I want to come."

Grabbing her arm, I whispered, "If it's something dangerous, I want you in a safe location."

Her face hardened, "I don't want to be babied."

"And I don't want to coddle you. But please stay here."

I followed the noise to the boy's room, and leaned inside to see Hugo wrapping something in a blanket, "Mae, they're hatching!"

"I kind of heard that. All three?"

He nodded, and hissed at Eragon, "Wrap that up in something!"

Eragon hurried to wrap a blanket around his egg, while Murtaugh held his in his arms to try and limit the noise.

Suddenly, a loud crack snapped through the room and a red dragon head poked out of Murtaugh's egg.

He dropped it on the bed in shock, "A dragon."

Immediately the creature started to whimper and yip, and I quietly whispered, "Pick it up. It'll keep making noise, and the last thing we need is Garrow awake too."

As he scooped up the dragon, I saw him froze from the bond being created.

Ignoring that, I stared at Roran, "Get near yours."

Murtaugh started to move again, "What...what was that?"

"I'll answer later, Hugo, go get some meat."

He rushed out and then another crack sounded, this time from Eragon's bed.

Without being told, he picked up the blue dragon and froze just like his brother had.

Roran anxiously peered into the blanket at his egg, and nearly had his eye cut as the egg exploded outward, "Woah!"

He scooped up his dragon, stiffening as Eragon finally relaxed, "That, that was really...cold."

Hugo slipped back in, "Garrow is going to hate me when he wakes up."

"You didn't lie to him."

Nodding slowly, he started to rip apart the meat, "He needs sleep. We can tell him the truth in the morning."

We dealt out the meat, and watched as each boy fed their new companions.

Eragon held out a piece at a time, taking care to not get his fingers in the way of the teeth.

Murtaugh gently tossed the meat at his dragon's mouth, not taking the risk of hand feeding.

Roran put the meat flat on his hand and let his dragon eat that way.

I moved to the door, "Try to get some sleep. Tomorrow isn't going to be easy."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry that it's been so long. I want to make this good, so I stew over it for a while before posting it.**


End file.
